The Ancient Drink Making a Modern Comeback
For centuries, mead has been synonymous with Viking warriors and medieval fantasy, but this prehistoric beverage is now experiencing a remarkable 21st-century revival. After disappearing from mainstream consumption for over 400 years, honey wine is reclaiming its place in contemporary drinking culture with innovative approaches and modern flavor profiles.
What Exactly Is Mead?
Will Grubelnik, head of production at London-based Gosnell's, provides a straightforward explanation: 'As apples are to cider, grapes are to wine, honey is to mead.' At its core, mead consists of honey mixed with water and fermented with yeast. The flavor diversity emerges from the various honey types employed in production.
Traditional meads typically utilize milder honeys like clover or orange blossom, while Acacia honey introduces lemon sherbet notes. More robust flavors come from buckwheat or wildflower honeys. Beyond these basic varieties, contemporary producers are creating fruit meads, spiced versions, and apple-infused variations that expand the category's appeal.
A Beverage Steeped in History
Mead isn't merely ancient—it's prehistoric. Archaeological evidence suggests honey fermentation dates back to 7000 BC in China, where early humans discovered that honey mixed with water and exposed to sunlight would naturally ferment into an intoxicating beverage.
The drink's historical significance spans continents and cultures:
- In Ethiopia, it's known as 'tej' and remains culturally significant
- Aristotle reportedly favored the beverage
- The 9th-century epic poem Beowulf mentions mead multiple times
- European monasteries brewed mead for income during medieval times
Beyond its recreational use, mead was believed to possess medicinal properties and typically contained lower alcohol content than other monastic creations like Benedictine and Chartreuse. The drink's cultural imprint extends to language itself—the term 'honeymoon' originates from the tradition of newlyweds consuming honey wine for a month after marriage, believed to enhance fertility. This practice was taken so seriously that fathers often included a month's supply in their daughters' dowries.
The 21st-Century Mead Renaissance
Despite its rich history, mead faced significant challenges in modern times. The beverage developed an image problem, associated primarily with high alcohol content and medieval fantasy tropes. Additionally, traditional mead's sweetness conflicted with contemporary preferences for drier flavors.
The industry encountered substantial obstacles, exemplified by leading producer Gosnell's temporarily ceasing mead production in 2024. Founder Tom Gosnell noted at the time: 'The word "mead" has musings of high alcohol and Game of Thrones, and it has stopped us from creating the future bees merit.' The company's subsequent rebranding to 'nectar' while maintaining traditional production methods illustrates the category's evolving identity.
Today, mead is experiencing a genuine resurgence driven by several factors:
- Flavor Innovation: Modern producers are creating drier varieties that barely taste of honey, along with sparkling versions and exotic flavor combinations
- Craft Movement Alignment: The growth of craft beverages has created demand for authentic drinks with compelling stories and high-quality ingredients
- Market Expansion: Fortune Business Insights projects the global mead market will reach $1.395 million by 2032
- Diverse Styles: The category now offers something for every palate, from traditional sweet meads to hop-infused varieties resembling tropical IPAs
Contemporary Mead Selections
The UK market now features several noteworthy mead options that showcase the category's diversity:
Lyme Bay Traditional Mead (£12.00, Majestic): Produced by the UK's largest mead manufacturer in Axminster, Devon, this amber-chestnut colored beverage offers notes of honeysuckle, star anise, russet pears, bruised golden apple, and hazelnuts. Its sweet yet balanced profile works well served neat, on ice, with mixers, or in cocktails like Old Fashioneds.
Loxwood Meadworks Festival (£22, Loxwood Meadworks): This West Sussex creation represents a modern interpretation featuring dry fermentation followed by careful honey sweetening. The result is a wine-like beverage with fresh characteristics, light honeycomb and ginger notes, lean texture, and hints of yellow cherry stone and hazelnut.
Gosnells Hazy Nectar (£32.50 for 12 cans): The rebranded offering from Peckham-based Gosnells surprises with tropical hop characteristics reminiscent of IPAs rather than traditional mead profiles. The dry, fresh beverage presents notes of lychee, green apple, and freshly-baked sourdough, representing a logical transition point for beer enthusiasts exploring new categories.
The mead revival demonstrates how ancient traditions can find new life through innovation and adaptation to contemporary tastes. As consumers increasingly seek authentic beverages with historical significance and quality ingredients, this prehistoric drink appears poised for a sustainable modern renaissance.
